By understanding the principles of these 101 questions, you’ll be able to develop effective responses to any question thrown at you, including the ones provided below. You’ll be better prepared to think quickly and assess what the employer is after. It is impossible to predict all of the questions that might be asked in an interview. By being prepared for the 101 most common questions, and by having experi­ences in mind for behaviorally-based questions, you’ll be ready for just about anything.

        Reviewing the questions below can also help you get ready. As with the 101 most commonly asked questions, write out each question and then list the points you would want to make, almost in an outline form.

Strange Questions

        Sometimes you’ll get questions which are really hard to prepare for, such as “If you were an animal, which animal would you like to be?” Don’t panic with this type of question. Clearly, there is no right or wrong answer. The interviewer is observing you to see how you handle unusual things. Don’t overanalyze it. In this case, you would simply think of an animal and explain why you would like to be that animal.

        A client of mine was once asked to take the recruiter through a typical day at work. He was asked how he knew what to do, how he knew it was time to go home, how he felt when people doubted him, and what types of people intimidated him. Because these are unusual questions, it is impossible to prepare for them. You need to be so well-prepared and knowledgeable about yourself that you will always be able to come up with a good response, even to questions you didn’t anticipate.

Examples of Other Questions

The following are additional questions that are worth preparing for:

1.  Can you establish long-term relations with customers [vendors]?

2.  Can you quickly establish rapport with people?

3.  Can you handle working with people with big egos?

4.  We need people who are detail-oriented.

5.       What personal areas are you working on? (similar to, What is your greatest weakness?)

6.  How do you resolve conflicts?

7.       What project that you worked on has been most helpful in your personal growth?

8.       Describe a time you had a leadership role. How did you gain it and why did you take it on?

9.       Describe a stressful time when you performed well.

10.       Describe the type of stress that hurts your efforts and the type that helps. Give me examples.

11.       Walk me through a project when you demonstrated [human relations] skills.

12. In hindsight most of us can think of some things we wished we had done differently. What are some things you would have done differently, and what did you learn from them?

13.       Describe a time when you were rejected or an idea was rejected. How did you handle it?

14.       What is your feeling about job quotas [or any controversial subject such as abortion or gay rights]?

15. Are you tolerant of people with opinions and values different from yours?

16. As a manager, what have you done in the last couple of years to promote diversity in       the workplace?

BEHAVIOR-BASED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

        Besides the types of questions mentioned above, you must also prepare to answer behavior-based interview questions. They are among the most unpredictable. There are literally hundreds of questions which can be asked. Although the actual wording will differ, in essence they will begin with, “Tell me about a time when . . .” While most of the questions will allow you to speak of positive experiences, you will also receive numerous questions that will require you to discuss negative or less positive experiences. You are not being singled out. This is simply part of the process. Virtually everyone will be asked the same questions, including the difficult ones.

        The following questions are a sampling of behavior-based questions. Not all behavior-based questions begin with “Tell me about a time when . . . ,” but I’m using that phrase as a convenient way to introduce to you the types of questions you can expect.

        Tell me about a time when you:

achieved a great deal in a short amount of time.

were disappointed in your performance.

made a major sacrifice to achieve a work goal.

were unwilling or unable to make the necessary sacrifice to achieve a goal.

worked effectively under a great deal of pressure.

didn’t handle a stressful situation very well.

really got angry over a situation at work.

felt under a great deal of pressure from an internal or external customer.

were really bothered by the actions of a coworker.

were especially creative in solving a problem.

were not as creative as usual.

organized or planned an event that was very successful.

planned and coordinated a project that was very successful.

were unable to complete a project on schedule despite your best efforts.

really had to remain flexible.

had to deal with a personality conflict with a boss or coworker.

were unable to sell your idea to a key person.

felt really good about a decision you made and the process you went through.

were very effective in your problem-solving ability.

used facts and reason to persuade someone to accept your recommendation.

utilized your leadership ability to gain support for what initially had strong opposition.

were able to build team spirit during a time of low morale.

were able to gain commitment from others to really work as a team.

used your political savvy to push through a program you believed in.

were particularly perceptive regarding a person’s or group’s feelings and needs.

were able to predict someone’s behavior or response based on your assessment of him or her.

were particularly supportive and reassuring to a person who needed a friend.

built rapport quickly with someone under difficult conditions.

wrote a report which was well received by others.

were particularly effective at prioritizing tasks and completing a project on schedule.

identified potential problems and resolved the situation before the problems became serious.

were highly motivated and your example inspired others.

found it necessary to tactfully but forcefully say things others did not want to hear.

were particularly effective in a talk you gave or in a seminar you taught.

had to make an important decision quickly even though you did not have all the information you wanted.

had to make a decision you knew would be unpopular.

were in a situation when events and circumstances changed rapidly.

        These are difficult questions. If asked such questions, take some time to come up with an example. To succeed:

1)  Stay calm

2)  Recall several potential examples

3)  Choose one that feels right

4)   Consider the ramifications of sharing it

5)  Recall a few key points

6)  Begin your story and share it with vividness and enthusiasm.

Your interviewer is likely to give you a minute or more before beginning to answer the question because he or she knows it is a difficult question that requires a thoughtful answer.

Preparation For Behavior-Based Questions

        Because these questions can be so difficult, the best preparation is to simply recall dozens of different experiences that you have had, both positive and negative. These experiences need not be major events in your life. They may be experiences that started and ended in five minutes or five days. The best way to recall experiences is to begin with your current job. Just let experiences flow through your mind and as they do, quickly jot down a key word or two so you’ll know which experience you’re referring to. Pause just long enough to visualize it in your mind for a few seconds.

        If this seems like a lot of effort, it is, but if you’ve ever been in a behavior-based interview and were not able to come up with an example, you’ll understand why this process is important.

WHEN YOU DON’T SUCCEED

        Regardless of how well one prepares and how effective one is in the interview, no one gets every job he or she interviews for. Clients often ask me, “Why didn’t I get the job? I would have been perfect.” Other than failure to fully sell one’s potential, there are four primary reasons why a person might not get hired.

        More Experience/Right Experience. Job seekers are often told that someone else with more experience or just the perfect combination of experience was hired. Effectively selling potential will not always get you the job, and you cannot always have the ideal background. Sometimes the job responsibilities are so technical, or require such specialization, that even a social misfit—with the right background—would still get the offer. This might be the case, for instance, if the employer is in such a bind that there is no time for training.

        Biases. Every interviewer has biases—some are conscious, others are unconscious. By being perceptive you can detect some of those biases, but you cannot detect all of them. Most of us are not proud of our biases and will go to great lengths to hide them. Interviewers are no different. Some biases are plain old-fashioned discrimination, others are more minor, but just as insidious. The 26-year-old manager who does not feel comfortable managing someone three or four years older may tend to hire people the same age or younger. A 50-year-old manager prefers secretaries who are “more mature” and will not hire anyone under 40. A conservative businessman still cannot tolerate someone with long hair. You can predict some biases and take actions to overcome them. For example, a man can trim the shaggy beard, shorten the hair, and dress up for the occasion.

        Unfortunately some biases cannot be detected and some simply cannot be overcome. If a person has a bias against taller people, or those with college degrees, there’s little you can do. Fortunately, most biases will not completely knock you out of the running.

        Inside Track. Sometimes you won’t be offered the position because the hiring decision was virtually made before the interviewing even began. There can be a number of reasons for this. The person offered the position may already work for the company and have a good reputation. The person offered the job may be a friend or former colleague of someone who’s with the company. Or, the person who got the job may simply be a person who, four months ago, managed to get in for a 15-minute get-acquainted appointment.

        Feeling Threatened. Sometimes because the interviewer feels threatened by a highly talented, knowledgeable applicant, he or she will not hire that person. A good manager welcomes talent and is never afraid of it. The insecure manager, however, is fearful and often hires lower-caliber people.

What Do You Do Now?

           It is helpful to realize that one of these four reasons, or any one of a dozen other reasons, could explain why you did not get the job. The worst thing you can do is wallow in self-pity and complain of prejudice and discrimination. Instead, assume that someone with the perfect background came along and that no matter what you could have done or said, that person was going to get the job. If the job that got away was the one you really wanted, it’s okay to feel down—for an hour, or even half a day. Then let go of it and move on. Cry, get angry, be sad, then let go. There is something better out there for you.

DISTINGUISH YOURSELF FROM THE COMPETITION

        Ultimately there are eleven key things you can do to get more job offers. All of the tips and all of the techniques covered on interviewing are incorporated in these eleven points. Tell yourself that you will do everything necessary to fulfill each of these points at every interview.

1. Demonstrate enthusiasm and potential.

2.  Tell vivid stories.

3. Exude confidence.

4.  Be prepared.

5.  Sell yourself.

6. Come across as a real and genuine person.

7. Listen intently.

8. Show you can solve problems.

9.  Be interesting.

10. Know things about the organization.

11. Know yourself.